Gaye Taylor News

The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize honors 10 Finalists for its prestigious playwriting award, now celebrating its thirty-fifth year.

The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize has announced 10 Finalists for its prestigious playwriting award, now celebrating its thirty-fifth year.

Performances begin tonight for Roundabout Theatre Company's second annual Roundabout Underground Reading Series. The actors involved in the series include: Penn Badgley, David Wilson Barnes, Noah Bean, Reg E. Cathey, Tracee Chimo , Liza Colon-Zayas, Patch Darragh, Erin Gann, Jordan Gelber, Kelli Giddish, Andre Holland, Rebecca Naomi Jones, Ezra Knight, Austin Lysy, Madeleine Martin, Chris Perfetti, Lorenzo Pisoni, Phillipa Soo, Stephen Stout, Andrea Syglowski, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Nitya Vindyasagar, Allison Williams.

Manhattan Theatre Club has announced the lineup for this spring's Ernst C. Stiefel "7@7" Reading Series.

Women's Project Theater's widely-acclaimed and packed-house production of Laura Marks's world premiere dark comedy Bethany, directed by Gaye Taylor Upchurch, will close as scheduled Sunday, February 17, after the 2:30pm matinee to make way for Tina Benko in the North American Premiere of Jackie by Nobel Prize winner and author of The Piano Teacher, Elfriede Jelinek, directed by Tea Alagic.

This year, Roundabout Theatre Company is thrilled to celebrate the seventh successful season of Roundabout Underground and the new play initiative, which illustrates a continued commitment to the nurturing of new artists. Through myriad programs and productions, the young artists associated with Roundabout will see their work presented to a wide audience of theater goers.

Atlantic Theater Company has just announced that the New York premiere of Rolin Jones' comedy The Jammer, directed by Jackson Gay, has now been extended through Sunday, February 17 in advance of its opening last night, Tuesday, January 22. Check out photos from the festivities below!

See the new trailer for BETHANY, written by Laura Marks and directed by Gaye Taylor Upchurch, below. The show runs Jan 11-Feb 17, 2013. www.BethanyOffBroadway.com.

Women's Project, the 35-year-old non-profit theater dedicated to producing plays written and directed by women, will present its 2012-2013 season of new plays featuring women theater artists at a new home, New York City Center Stage II, 131 West 55th Street, tonight, January 11 to May 19, Julie Crosby, Producing Artistic Director announced.

The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute (www.strasberg.com) will present LOVELAB by playwright Lila Feinberg, who is the first recipient of The Clifford Odets Ensemble Play Commission. The Clifford Odets Ensemble Play Commission is an annual playwriting commission that encourages early career playwrights to write plays for large ensembles of emerging actors.

America Ferrera, joined by cast members Emily Ackerman, Kristin Griffith, Ken Marks, Tobias Segal and Myra Lucretia Taylor, begins rehearsals today for Women's Project Theater's world premiere dark comedy Bethany by Laura Marks. Directed by Gaye Taylor Upchurch, Ms. Ferrera stars as a financially-strapped woman who discovers just how far she'll go to regain what she has lost.

Atlantic Theater Company presents the world premiere of Melissa James Gibson's WHAT RYHMES WITH AMERICA, starring Atlantic ensemble member Chris Bauer leading a cast featuring Aimee Carrero, Seana Kofoed and Da'Vine Joy Randolph, directed by Daniel Aukin. Get a first look at the cast onstage in the photos below!

The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute (www.strasberg.com) will present LOVELAB by playwright Lila Feinberg, who is the first recipient of The Clifford Odets Ensemble Play Commission. The Clifford Odets Ensemble Play Commission is an annual playwriting commission that encourages early career playwrights to write plays for large ensembles of emerging actors.

SPACE on Ryder Farm announces its inaugural benefit - SPACE in the City - set for Monday, December 3rd from 7-10pm at Ars Nova loft at 511 W. 54th Street in New York City. The event will feature artist performance and readings from theater artists including Gabriel Ebert (4,000 Miles, Brief Encounter), Adam Rapp (Through the Yellow Hour, Red Light Winter), Teddy Bergman (Peter and the Starcatcher), Damon Daunno (Brief Encounter) and Grace McLean (www.gracemclean.com).

Emmy® Award winning actress America Ferrera, best known for her fearless portrayal of Betty on ABC's hit comedy Ugly Betty, will star as a financially-strapped woman who discovers just how far she'll go to regain what she has lost in Women's Project Theater's first play of the 2012 - 2013 season, the world premiere dark comedy Bethany by Laura Marks, directed by Gaye Taylor Upchurch, Julie Crosby, Women's Project Theater Producing Artistic Director, announced.

The New York Times reports today that America Ferrera will headline the season opener, BETHANY. Laura Marks's world premiere dark comedy exploring the limits of morality, Bethany, directed by Gaye Taylor Upchurch, will run January 11 through February 17. Set in an American exurb wiped out by foreclosures, a financially-strapped single mother discovers just how far she'll go to regain what she has lost.

Atlantic Theater Company will present the world premiere of Melissa James Gibson's WHAT RYHMES WITH AMERICA, starring Atlantic ensemble member Chris Bauer leading a cast featuring Aimee Carrero, Sean Kofoed and Da'Vine Joy Randolph, directed by Daniel Aukin.

Madeleine Martin, currently starring in Atlantic Theater Company's production of HARPER REGAN, will join hosts John Elliot, Lisa Kerney and Carolina Bermudez on WLNY's "Live from the Couch" tomorrow morning, October 17 in the 7:30 AM half-hour. In addition to performing off-Broadway, Madeleine Martin also stars in the hit Showtime series "Californication" and has appeared on Broadway in August: Osage County and The Pillowman.

Atlantic Theater Company (Neil Pepe, Artistic Director; Jeffory Lawson, Managing Director) has just announced that the New York premiere production of Olivier Award® winner Simon Stephens play HARPER REGAN has been extended an additional week through Sunday, November 4 following opening to critical acclaim.

Atlantic Theater Company presents the New York premiere of HARPER REGAN, by Oliver Award winner Simon Stephens, starring an ensemble cast featuring Vandit Bhatt, Christopher Innvar, Mahira Kakkar, Jordan Lage, Madeleine Martin, Mary McCann, Mary Beth Peil, Gareth Saxe, Peter Scanavino, John Sharian and Stephen Tyrone Williams, directed by Gaye Taylor Upchurch. HARPER REGAN officially opened last night, October 10; and plays a limited engagement through Sunday, October 28 Off-Broadway at Atlantic's main stage Linda Gross Theater (336 West 20th Street). Check out photos from opening night below!